“Alcohol isn’t cool anymore”

And as we wrap up 2022, I wanted to thank you for reading this newsletter. We launched Insider Today in October, and it’s continuing to evolve. It’s been a pleasure having thoughtful conversations with you each day, and I’m excited to bring more of our fascinating stories (like why streetlights are turning purple and decoding Gen Z’s slang) to you in the new year.

— Nicholas Carlson

• We picked the best albums, TV shows, and movies from this year. Check out the winners.

• Designer Vivienne Westwood and soccer legend Pelé have died. The punk fashion icon was 81. The soccer star was 82.

• “Nobody works, nobody gives a damn” anymore because of “socialism,” Home Depot’s 93-year-old cofounder says. More here.

This New Year’s Eve, at least one tradition is changing: CNN is reportedly cutting back on alcohol consumption during its annual telecast. (We’ll always remember when Don Lemon took a shot and got his ear pierced on-air, though!)

The impetus might be a millennial-led sober-curious movement that began in 2018 and has since become mainstream. Google Trends data suggests “sobriety” was a popular search term in the US in 2022, and research shows that younger people haven’t been drinking as much as older people did at their age.

One 24-year-old person told the BBC, “It’s been eye-opening for me to realize you can be young and sober and have very full friendships.”

Find out more about the trend — and get ready for a sober NYE ball drop.

Top reads

• A $23 million mansion once owned by Derek Jeter — and rented by Tom Brady — is set to be demolished. The Tampa-area home may be replaced by two or three new houses. Take a tour of “St. Jetersburg.”

• “I asked ChatGPT to write my cover letters.” Our reporter gave the bot a few real job descriptions, then sent the cover letters to real-life hiring managers. See what they said.

• If your raise this year was less than 7.1%, you effectively got a pay cut. Thanks to inflation, you’re getting less bang for your buck — and your employer likely isn’t making up the difference. More on that. 

• A Russian figure skater recreated Jenna Ortega’s viral “Wednesday” dance on ice. Olympic skater Kamila Valieva performed the dance in full costume. Watch the video here.

• South Africa’s infamous ultra-marathon cheats. They did an idiotic thing when they were young. 23 years later, it’s still the one thing most people know about them. Here’s the full story.

• “I cheated on an exam to boost my career in the tech industry.” An anonymous tech worker used “exam dumps” to pass technical certifications — and said the answers were easy to find online. Read their story here.

• A TikToker pretends to be her identical twin every holiday for her grandparents who don’t know she died. Annie Niu said she fears her grandparents wouldn’t be able to cope. Read the story. 

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